I Knew I Loved You Before I Met You
by laurenventi
Summary: Rory stays with her close friend Nikki...can't say too much. Check it out. Temporary Hiatus.
1. The News

**A/N: Hey guys! Me again. Hope you like my new story! I know I haven't finished my other stories yet but this idea just popped into my head--had to get it out. :D**

**Disclaimer: I don't own.**

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"Hey Leigh. Guess what?" Nikki sits down next to Rory.

"I told you to stop calling me that." Rory protests, sighing.

"I can't help it! You shouldn't have told me your middle name."

"I didn't tell you, you stole it!" Rory gets up and heads down the sidewalk.

Nikki jogs after her. "I didn't steal it. I saw it on the slip. Anyway it doesn't matter."

"Right. It doesn't matter. So 'Rory', okay?"

"I've known you for three years, can't I at least call you something different?" She sighs.

"No. Now what were you gonna say?"

"Oh!" Only then does she remember. "You're staying with me!" She jumps up and down.

"You mean I actually get to meet your pretend husband?" Rory says excitedly with fake enthusiasm.

Nikki pouts. "He's not pretend!"

"So why haven't I met him yet?"

"Because…he's busy!" Beat. "He's not exactly a people person."

"Right." Rory starts off down the sidewalk again. "Besides why would I stay with you?" She asks curiously.

Nikki stops Rory. "I already talked it over with Logan and—"

"Why would you talk it over with Logan?" Rory cuts her off.

"—he's fine with it." She continues as if she hadn't been interrupted. "We both decided that it would be easier to do the piece."

"How could you decide that? When did you decide that?" Rory asks hysterically. "'We'? Who's 'we'?" She asks even though she knows it refers to both Nikki and Logan. "I thought that me and you were doing the piece, not you and Logan." She turns and walks blindly into the street and the car blows her. Nikki quickly follows and the car blows again.

"Rory, come on. We were just trying to help." She starts. "It'll be fun come on, Ror." She emphasizes the name.

"You'll hardly even be there." Rory counters.

"I only have to go in the office in the mornings until about one, two, three maybe." Beat. "Or four." Rory rolls her eyes. "And I said 'Rory' doesn't that earn me some brownie points."

"Maybe." Rory replies evasively. "What will your husband say?"

"He'll barely notice you're there." Nikki assures her.

Rory nods.

--

"She can't stay here!" Nikki's husband, Jess shouts.

Nikki sighs frustrated. "Why the hell not?"

"Because…she just can't!" Beat. "She'll get in the way!"

"Of what?" Nikki asks. "The furniture?"

He ignores the sarcasm. "Work."

Nikki throws her hands up. "You're hardly ever here! And when you are, you're in the office."

"I refuse to feel like a prisoner in my own house!" He continues.

"Well that's just too damn bad because she's staying here whether you like it or not!" She storms off dramatically.

"Nik," He goes after her. "Just, look, we don't know anything about her—"

"She's my friend, Jess." She turns around abruptly. "That should be enough."

He sighs and puts his hand over his jaw. "Sure, fine. Whatever."

Nikki walks upstairs as Jess walks back to his office.

--

**A/N: Leave me a review please. Good or bad. This was just an intro to the story so the next chapter will be longer. :D**


	2. Stay Away, I Mean Awhile

**A/N: So here's the next chapter!!! Hope you guys like it!! I just want to say thanks for the amazing reviews everyone!! :D**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Except the character Nikki.**

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**Things to Know:**

**Nikki and Rory have been friends for three years.**

**Rory and Jess have never met.**

**Logan and Rory are together.**

**Luke and Lorelai are together.**

**_If there's any additional info I'll post it and let you guys know. _**

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Jess walks out of his office to the living room and sees boxes all over the room. He walks outside and sees Nikki's car in the driveway. He walks back inside and heads to the kitchen and sees someone going through the fridge. He clears his throat. Rory jumps and hits her head on the fridge.

"Ow." She puts her hand on her head and looks startled when she sees him. "Oh. Hi. I'm Rory G—" She holds out her hand but realizes that pop tarts are in her hand. She flushes and holds out the other hand. "Sorry. Nikki told me to make myself at home, so…I did." She shrugs signaling to her other hand. "I'm Rory. Rory Gilmore." He smirks and shakes her hand. "She didn't tell me that you were here."

"Nor me." He counters, looking her over. Rory closes the fridge and tries to figure out if she's imaging things. She completely regretted her skirt choice now. It just seemed totally inappropriate now. "You movin' in or just stayin' for awhile?" It's a dig at all the boxes she has in the living room.

She flushes. "Um…no, ah Nikki suggested that—"

He cuts her off, nodding. "Ah, Nik. That explains it." He turns and heads back to the living room.

"—I bring this stuff." Rory finishes unnecessarily. "So, why am I still talking when you're obviously not listening?" She continues to herself. "I don't know." She sighs and takes her bag off the counter and heads to the living room. She meets Nikki and Jess talking in whispered tones. The stop when they notice her. "Ah…this was—a bad idea…" She heads for the door.

Nikki quickly follows. "Rory, come on."

"No, it's okay." She puts her hand on her head. "I don't want to intrude. I never meant to put anyone out or…" She looks back to Jess before continuing. "…make anyone feel uncomfortable."

Nikki stands in front of Rory to block her view of Jess. "Believe me when I say you're not putting anyone out, Ror. Please. Stay." Nikki tugs on Rory's hand and pulls her back in the living room.

"Yea, Ror." Jess mocks. "Please. Stay." Rory sighs and slowly walks back into the kitchen. Nikki glares at Jess before following. Jess sighs and walks down the hall.

--

Rory exits the bathroom and heads back to the living room to finish sorting through the rest of her stuff. She'd been up for an hour and a half now, the same time Nikki had left for the office. At which time she had tried to impress upon Rory how important it was for her to stay away from Jess' office and not to go in and/or disturb him. Rory hadn't asked any questions, she had only nodded and attempted to go back to sleep, after her departure. To no avail, obviously. She'd been sorting through the boxes in the living room and setting them up in their respective places. So far she'd gotten through toiletries and clothing and was now tackling the boxes of books she'd brought with her. Instead of taking the books out she carries the entire box back to the guest room immediately taking note of the absence of a bookcase in the room. Sighing she pulls the top drawer of her dresser open and begins to arrange the books carefully and methodically in alphabetical order. Approaching the bottom of the box she increases her pace, when she hears the doorbell. Determined to finish the task at hand before heading downstairs, she ignores it. It rings again. And again. She doesn't waver. Five books to go. Again. Four. Again. Again. Three. They were getting restless now. Its starts to be repetitive and redundant. Two. Rory hurriedly slips in the last book and jogs downstairs.

"Coming!" Apparently they're hearing impaired—deaf or they just don't care. They ring it again. "I said I'm coming!" She tosses the box near the pile of still taped boxes and turns to answer the door. Immediately noting the silence, she jogs to the foyer and meets jess closing the door. She immediately takes in the four bags of takeout.

"Did you not hear the doorbell?" He asks her.

"I was busy." Rory replies haughtily.

He sighs. "You were busy?" He repeats.

Rory folds her arms. "I wasn't brought here as a housekeeper."

"My mistake." He heads back down the hall.

"You having a party or something I should know about?" Rory asks after him.

"Nope." Beat. "Just me." He reenters his office.

Rory sighs and looks around. "No, I wouldn't like any food but thanks for the offer." She says sardonically heading back to the couch. In his office, jess chuckles at her sarcasm.

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**A/N: Leave me a review please and thanks!!! :D You may not know this but, reviews make my world go round! :D**


	3. Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word

**A/N: So schools starting Monday and I don't know when I'll be able to update, so I'm trying to get in as much as possible to tide you over. I'm working on the next chapter for 'Drunk or Not' as you read this. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own.**

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Finally clearing away all her possessions, Rory hauls the boxes off to the storage room whose only entrance is from the outside. After carrying the last of the boxes she leans against the wall drained. And the boxes didn't have to be heavy—because they weren't! It was just…more than she remembered. She turns and for the first time takes in the sight of the room. There were boxes piled to the ceiling with tons of junk—or what Rory thought was junk. Intrigued, she bends to the floor to the box at her feet and rummages through it. The most random, inane and at the same time, banal objects were thrown together in one box. Or so it looked. Rory flinches at the arrangement unconsciously. There were shoes of every kind—boots, sandals, heels, "strappy"—clothes from what looked like the 70's, trophies, books—from worn out copies to new, recently bought ones. She stops at a gold binder with the words 'Photo Album' and flips through it. There were photos of Nikki and Jess and rarely other people. One at a restaurant. From the decorations—a Christmas party. Wedding photos. Nikki's parents—an elderly man with gray hair and beard and a younger but still older woman with brown hair. Another photo was of a much younger couple—a man with dark hair and eyes and a blonde with blue eyes standing in front of a booth. Jess' parents Rory assumed from the looks of the guy, she reads the caption and sees 'Liz and Jimmy'. Very descriptive. Rory turns the page only to find blank sheets. Again and again. She closes it when she sees a shadow in the doorway. She drops the book and spins around to see a middle aged man standing there.

He holds up his hand in defense. "Whoa! I didn't mean to scare you." He starts.

Rory tries to compose herself. "You didn't." She walks around and back to the front door of the house.

"I saw the door open." He explains following.

Rory jumps again not realizing that he was behind her. "Who are you?"

"Does it really matter?"

"Yes." She doesn't hesitate. "What? You just felt like stopping by to say 'hi'? Hi. Bye." Unconsciously she steps back into the house and closes the door further leaving only a slit.

"No, ah Nikki called me." Confusion floods Rory's face. He notices. "To measure the upstairs bedroom."

Rory suddenly recognizes him as the man in the photo. Jimmy. "Jimmy?" She questions, opening the door.

The guy nods. "You've heard of me?" Rory smiles apologetically, inwardly kicking herself for not recognizing him. He had aged a couple years but he looked the same otherwise.

Rory holds the door open. "Come in." Rory leads him into the living room. "So, what room were you plan on looking at?"

"The upstairs one. Nikki wanted me to look at it long before she talks to Jess about the baby." He says sitting down on the couch.

Rory looks momentarily stunned. "'Baby'?" She starts. "Nikki's pregnant?"

Jimmy chuckles. "No. At least not yet." Pause. "This is the first chance I got." Rory nods trying to process. "So where's Jess?"

"In his office." She responds casually.

Jimmy looks at her. "You wanna tell him his old man is here?"

Rory hesitates. "You mean, go in there?" She signals down the hall to the door.

He nods. 'Yes, in there."

"Um…" She gets up and walks down the hall to the door on the right. She hesitates after reaching for the doorknob and knocks.

"I'm busy." Jess responds.

She hesitates again. "Ah…your f—someone's out here to see you." She replies.

"I'm busy." He repeats.

Frustrated Rory opens the door and enters.

"So, I'm guessing Nik didn't tell you that my office is off limits."

"Look, your father is out here and I don't exactly know what to tell him. I mean I can't exactly tell him 'He's busy and doesn't want to see you. Come back—'" She stops momentarily stunned and takes in the office. It wasn't exactly an office; it was more of a…lounge for lack of a better ter. Lining all the walls straight around the room were bookcases to the ceiling. Instead of a desk it had a giant sofa on which he was currently sitting. "'…another time.'" She finishes seconds later.

"My father?" Rory nods absentmindedly. "Why the hell would he be out there?" He asks closing a folder and standing.

"Um…he said something about Nikki asking him to measure the bedroom." Beat. "Upstairs." She's still looking around the room, taking in everything. "For the baby."

"'Baby'." He looks at her. "What baby?" Recognition dawns on him. "Nikki's pregnant?"

Rory looks flabbergasted. "What? No." She stutters, quickly correcting herself. "I mean—that's what I thought, but…I don't know. He said she wasn't but…" She trails off. "I'm sorry…I thought you knew…" She adds realizing her gaffe.

Jess sighs and puts his hand over his jaw. "It might've been nice to hear it straight from her," He starts. "But hey, anyway I can get it, right?" He shrugs. Rory sighs and looks down. He exits the room and heads to the living room. Rory slowly follows and hesitates, deciding whether to stay or go. She heads to her room.

--

Rory turns over and hears muffled voices coming from the stairs. She slowly sits up and sits on the edge of the bed. The voices raise and Rory slowly walks over to the door and pulls it open.

"What I'm trying to figure out is why you didn't tell me this before!" Jess' voice filters through the door followed by Nikki's.

"I was going to tell you Jess! I swear."

Jess continues as if Nikki hadn't spoken at all. "But, no, I had to find out from Jimmy and some bimbo I hardly know!" Rory looks stung as she slowly walks down the hall to the top of the stairs.

"I said I'm sorry Jess!" Beat. "What else do you want me to do?" Her voice is pleading.

Silence. Rory edges closer to the railing.

"Nothing." Jess says finally. "Absolutely nothing." Footsteps follow and seconds later Jess stops at the foot of the stairs noticing her at the top. Rory looks down and hears the door. When she looks up he's gone and Nikki is heading up the stairs.

Rory starts. "Nik," She sighs. "I'm so, so sorry. I…didn't know." Nikki continues down the hall. Rory quickly follows. "I bet you regret letting me stay here now, huh?" She jokes. Nikki doesn't laugh. She doesn't say anything. She grabs her bag and heads back downstairs. Rory has to jog to keep with her. "Nik, I—"

Nikki cuts her off. "Rory, please. Just—not now." She exits the house. Rory sighs and heads to the couch. She sits and puts her head in her hands.

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**A/N: Review and let me know what you think please! :D**


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